Hurt Me Once (Shame On Me)
by MzShellSan
Summary: Allen hadn't planned on going back in time and re-meeting Tyki under different circumstances. But once he was there, well, what harm could it do? Written for my FicMas event, dedicated to Chrisemyrsfics.


**25 Days of FicMas**

**Day:** Nine

**Dedication: **Chrismrysfics

**Fandom: ** -Man

**Pairing: **Poker Pair

**Disclaimer: **I do not own -Man

**Hurt Me Once (Shame On Me)**

**-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-**

Kneeling in the familiar room, Allen blinked at the sight of Master Cross walking towards him with a wine glass in one hand and a hammer in the other, confusion welling in his mind.

He tried to connect the brief flash of light in the strange town he'd been in before this moment to ending up back here but he couldn't quite grasp how that might have happened.

He didn't have too much time to consider it, however, because a moment later he was being hit hard with the hammer, darkness clouding his mind until nothingness was all that remained.

Re-awakening from being knocked out was an... interesting experience. Groaning, Allen rubbed gently at his head and frowned at the lump that was beginning to form.

On one hand, there was something refreshing about seeing his master alive and well, considering the blood he could still picture in his mind. On the other hand, he definitely hadn't missed being treated like _that._

"What to do?" he wondered out loud, considering his situation.

While it was true that he was supposed to go to the head quarters in Europe for the Black Order, he was very tempted not to.

His heart panged at the memory of Lenalee, Kanda and Lavi, as well as all the other friends he'd made.

_Johnny. Poor Johnny._

But at the same time, he cringed at the thought of returning to the Order now that he knew more about his future and how they would react to it.

If he didn't go to the order, however, where would he go?

_The Noah?_

He scoffed at his own thought. He would be better off wandering for a while, getting his bearings and figuring things out again.

_'After all,' _he reasoned with himself as he gathered his meagre things into his bag, _'I have to re-train myself with this version of my innocence.'_

It was, weird, knowing how synced he was with his innocence and yet feeling so disconnected from it. He wasn't quite sure how to handle it.

"Well Timcanpy, I guess we'll figure it out as we go, right?" he offered, smiling at the golem. Tim tilted his head, almost like he was confused, but Allen didn't bother to elaborate.

It was almost two months before anyone caught up with him and Allen couldn't help but feel proud of that fact. In those two months he'd adapted okay to everything and even though the emptiness in his heart hadn't faded, he'd contented himself with the knowledge that no-one was dead.

He'd recognised Tyki the moment he'd entered the party, confidence in his stride as he snuck into a party he definitely wasn't meant to be at.

It has been interesting to learn that the Noah's family had been part of the human higher society and after so long just taking out akuma where he could, Allen had to admit that he'd gotten restless and curious.

So he crept in while the doormen were distracted. After that, he just acted like he knew what he was doing and no-one had looked twice.

At least until Tyki had spotted him.

Slipping through the crowd, the older man sauntered up to him. In Tyki's eyes Allen could see a flicker of interest.

What for?

"Hello, boy."

"Lord Mikk," he greeted.

"You have me at a disadvantage. You appear to know who I am, but I have no idea who you are," Tyki hummed. "Which is certainly interesting because I familiarised myself with every person who would be at this party."

Allen couldn't help himself – he snorted at how pretentious that sounded. "Of course I know who you are, Lord Mikk. I'm merely a nobody in comparison; I'm certain you just forgot about me."

He smiled innocently, a flicker of something low in his gut at the amusement in Tyki's eyes.

This was wrong. He was only here to scope them out – there was no time for him to be trading flirts with the Noah, nor should he be involving himself with them properly.

If he were being honest, he never should have come tonight.

"I wouldn't dare forget someone like you," Tyki denied.

Raising an eyebrow, Allen couldn't help the slight smirk tugging at his lips. "Oh? Someone like _me?_ What do you mean, Lord Mikk?"

"Tyki, please," Tyki corrected. "Fishing for compliments are we?"

"As you wish, Lord Tyki," Allen joked, flushing when it pulled a dark chuckle from Tyki's lips.

"Cheeky," Tyki warned, but his eyes were glimmering with mirth so Allen was certain that it wasn't a complaint.

"Apologies, My Lord."

Tyki snorted. "You know, every time you say that, it comes off as completely mocking."

Blinking guilessly, Allen hummed. "I just can't help it, Lord Tyki."

"I'm sure," Tyki intoned; clearly disbelieving. "But back to you fishing for compliments-"

"-merely curious about further details-"

Ignoring that, Tyki continued, "I mean someone as cute to look at as you."

Puffing out his cheeks, Allen felt a twinge of irritation. "I'm most definitely not _cute_," he huffed.

Tyki raised an eyebrow, chuckling again. "If you say so," he acquiesced.

That wasn't quite the response that Allen was hoping for, but he supposed that it was better than nothing.

"So, what brings you to breaking into this party?"

"I thought we had agreed that you merely forgot my face?" Allen inquired, jutting his lip out.

Tyki huffed out a laugh. "Did we?"

"We definitely did. If you want to know why I chose to attend tonight's party, however, the answer is simple. Curiosity."

"Oh?" Tyki asked. He seemed genuinely shocked by that response but it was the truth.

Or perhaps it was _because_ it was the truth that Tyki seemed taken aback.

"You don't believe me?" he asked, tilting his head.

"No," Tyki admitted, "but I wish that I could."

Allen sighed. "But in the real world wishes don't come true."

The other man sighed as well, nodding. "I'm afraid so. But since I'm a fool for hope, I will leave you be for tonight. Don't cause any trouble," he warned. And for the first time that night, there was just a small amount of steel in Tyki's tone.

"I would never," Allen promised, trying to feel as sincere as he pretended to be.

"Boy, you _scream_ trouble,"

_'I could scream your name instead?'_ he offered mentally before shaking that from his mind and smiling. "I'll take that as a compliment from you, Lord Mikk. Enjoy your evening, I believe I've monopolised your attention for too much of the night already."

As if conjured by those words, Allen watched someone signal for Tyki's attention.

"Of course." Reaching out, Tyki's fingers wrapped around his normal hand lightly and he lifted it to his mouth to press a soft kiss to the knuckles, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Farewell, boy."

It wasn't until Tyki was long gone, Allen's hand tingling and strangely cold that he registered that Tyki had said _goodbye_.

He shivered at the implications. Perhaps it was time to move on once more.

That night, he slipped out just as quietly as he'd appeared, disappearing from the town and standard civilisation with an ease gained out of so long on the run both in the future and from his time with Cross.

Even as far from people as he could get, his night was plagued by memories of injured friends nearly dying at the Noah's hands and Tyki's fingers crushing his innocence.

Despite the way his arm ached from that memory as he awoke, he couldn't help the resolve that began to form. If he wanted to be strong enough to face the Noah, to face everyone, then he was going to need Crown Clown.

He was going to need Tyki to break him again.

Whether it was a testament to his own skill or a result of their incompetence, it still took a good three weeks of Allen endlessly tracking akuma and taking them out for Tyki to catch up with him.

The noah watched silently as Allen's claws shredded through the level one in front of him with ease, the wailing of the soul inside its body finally ceasing.

"I thought I told you not to cause trouble boy," Tyki greeted.

"Lovely to see you too, Lord Mikk," Allen couldn't help but mock.

"Don't play coy. You've been irritating the Earl a rather lot. So tell me, are you with the order? Are you one of their exorcists? I didn't take you for the type."

Allen's eye brows furrowed at that. "You didn't take me for the type?" he asked.

"So you are with the order."

"Not at all. Technically I'm an agent of my own free-will. I bring the souls inside the akuma salvation and avoid both the Noah and exorcists where I can."

"Salvation?" Tyki asked. "That's an odd mindset."

Allen could feel how his lips twisted into a mockery of a smile. "So I've been told."

For the first time since he'd gone back in time, he couldn't help but actually feel the age that he was in the future, battle-worn and so very tired of hearing the same things over and over again.

"I didn't say it was a bad thing," Tyki interjected before he could get too caught up in his mind.

Swallowing thickly, Allen shrugged. "I didn't care for your opinion either way, Mikk."

"Not 'lord' anymore?" Tyki joked, letting go of his lie easily enough.

Allen shrugged again, a smirk tugging at his lips now at the familiar banter. "I've come to the conclusion that it's only making your head bigger. You don't need that."

"Ouch. That hurts, boy."

Allen snorted, "oh how will you survive."

"Speaking of survival..." Tyki trailed off. There was almost something regretful in his eyes as he stared at Allen and he fought hard not to flinch at the juxtaposition it was too his memory of a blood-thirsty Tyki who had seemed just as regretful for only a moment.

"I will survive, you know." He couldn't help but chuckle at the confusion on Tyki's face before what Allen was saying properly clicked in his mind.

"How can you be so sure?"

Shrugging, Allen grinned wryly. "People like me never die. We get stronger."

"People like you?"

"People that keep on walking."

Tyki snorted, something cynical in his eyes as he stepped closer. Allen didn't even pretend that he was going to move away, ignoring his reflexes and allowing him to close the distance until he was barely a metre away.

"I hope you're right boy," Tyki whispered, his voice swept away with the wind.

And as he closed his eyes against the pain of Tyki's hand on his heart and feeling of his innocence being ripped away, Allen couldn't help but think,

_'I hope so too.'_


End file.
